There was much excitement surrounding the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May 2018. Despite the joyful ceremony held at St George’s Chapel, a royal expert revealed that the late Queen felt uneasy about certain aspects of the day.
In the days leading up to the wedding, Meghan’s father, Thomas Markle, had to withdraw due to health reasons, leaving the bride without someone to walk her down the aisle. Prince Charles, who was the Prince of Wales at the time, stepped in to accompany Meghan to the altar, a gesture that the Queen reportedly did not approve of.
Biographer Ingrid Seward mentioned in her book, My Mother and I, that the Queen was uncomfortable with Charles taking on the role of escorting Meghan in place of her father. Additionally, she expressed concern about Prince Philip, who had recently undergone a hip replacement, walking down the aisle without assistance.
It was disclosed later that Prince Harry had requested his father’s involvement in the ceremony. In a documentary, Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70, Harry mentioned that Charles immediately agreed to support Meghan and him.
Apart from Charles’s role, the Queen also reportedly had reservations about Meghan’s choice of a white Givenchy wedding gown. According to Lady Elizabeth Anson, a confidant of the late Queen, Her Majesty found the dress too white and flamboyantly virginal for a remarriage in a church.
In another account from the book Queen of Our Times by author Robert Hardman, Meghan surprised Charles with her response when he offered to walk her down the aisle, indicating her independence by suggesting they meet halfway.
Overall, the royal wedding had its share of behind-the-scenes discomfiture, as revealed by various sources close to the royal family.